Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Spend `An Evening With Groucho Marx'

 

 

 

 

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If there were any justice in the world, when you looked up the word `raconteur' in the dictionary, there'd be a picture of Groucho Marx.

 

While Groucho certainly used physical comedy in his films, it was his ability to tell stories, and interact humorously with his guests, that turned him into a huge hit on radio, and then on television. 

 

In future blogs, we'll take a look at the Marx Brothers, and Groucho's radio and Television career, but today we have something very special: Groucho's (almost) one-man show recorded at Carnegie Hall in 1972.

 

Groucho was 81 when he recorded this show, which was released as a  two-album set in the early 1970's.   You wouldn't know that by his delivery.

 

Introduced by Dick Cavett,  and with piano accompaniment by no less than Marvin Hamlisch,  Groucho regales an adoring audience with dozens of anecdotes about his career in show business, and delivers a few songs as well.

 

You can download the entire collection HERE in zip format,  with extras like jpg photos of Groucho, and four extra audio files.

 

 

 

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The individual cuts from the album are available on the Internet Archive.

 

 

 

Overture - Medley from Marx Brothers Films     

Introduction - Dick Cavett                              

Hello, I Must Be Going                                    

Violin Solo, Jack Benny Tribute                      

How I Got Started In Show Business               

My Family, How We Got Our Names                 

Strange Relatives - Uncle Julius                       

Chico At Klauber Horn Co                                

Uncle Herman, Chiropodist                              

Timbuctoo                                                       

Annie Berger                                                    

World War One, Vaudeville In Toronto             

Oh, How That Woman Could Cook                    

Toronto Song                                                    

London Stories: Polish Officer Story                 

London Stories: Churchill & 2nd World War      

Tough Chicago Critic Story                               

Palace Theatre: Sarah Bernhardt                      

Palace Theatre: Fanny Brice/Swayne's Rats and Cats 

Poem From The Play      

T.S. Eliot Memorial: Laurence                            

2nd World War Bond Tour                                 

Houdini Story                                                   

Music in                                                            

Music in                                                            

Otto Kahn Story                                                

W.C. Fields: Bee Bee Gun/ Prohibition             

W. C. Fields: Baby Leroy                                    

Heaven's Above                                                 

Everybody Works But Father                             

Father's Day                                                       

Margaret Dumont, The Dowager In Our Films    

Thalberg Story - Garbo                                       

Sampson And Delilah Story                                 

Will Rogers, Baseball in Baltimore                       

Priests' Stories: Plaza Hotel/ Montreal               

Priests' Stories: Rome                                         

Show Me A Rose                                                 

Lydia, The Tattooed Lady                                  

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